[vol.10] Voices from the Field_ Let's Struggle Firmly for Revising Pro-Worker Labor Law!
WORKING WOMAN 2008. 3. 20. 11:15Kim, Tae-Im
(union leader of the Anam Industry)
Working conditions are getting worsening. Owing to the variable working hour system, the lay-off system, women workers are much more vunerable in the labour market.
"Hey, I see an article on newspaper about the KCTU's strike will be g postponed, and how come this could be when we laborers didn't know about anything?"
"What does national leaders' meeting mean excluding KCTU?"
During the 27 day strike, the level of the laborers' awareness and consciousness has improved high enough to surprise the planning department of our union.
It seemed yesterday that I insisted that
"don't you read newspaper? Don't watch drama but news."
But nowdays laborers read newspaper at six before going to office, attend rallies and make inquiries about the KCTU policy. The big thing we earned at this strike was that laborers who used to be afraid of struggles against managers became much stronger. We had several painful experiences before this consequence. There were many laborers who could not participate in the strikes because manager persuaded, threatened workers charging with 'business interference'. However, we ourselves understood each other and so more and more workers came out of the strike sites.
Union members with self-confidence went up to Seoul to attend national rallies at Jongmyo, and the Myungdong Cathedral covered with tear gases, crying out the ineffectiveness of the labor law.
On January 20, we were fearfully mad when we heard the claim made by KCTU and the Council of Anam group unions that we workers should go back to our workplaces when just finalizing the so-called three step strike.
We were crying over the ineffectiveness of the strike. How terrible the decision it is? And how happy we were when we participated in the struggles?
Union members are only 42 out of all 1800 employees in my company. The monthly payment for full-timer for union is only 320,000 won. Who would want to take the position?
If the lay-off system is introduced, it would be easy to fire us who are just 42 out of total workers in the company. What we could do under the condition?
The union member who participated in the strike have strong belief in unionism and struggles! It was very hard to persuade them to go back to work and to prepare the 4th step of the struggle. As s result of the tree-day persuasion, the union members decided to thrust and follow union executives once more.
Managers forced us to write apologies. We of union members could not work and had to spend a day at manager's office. We were replaced by non-union members. We fought against the company quite well enduring the painful and bitter day. We, union members would view the situations optimistically.
O.K.! This is just beginning. Political parties promised that they would revise the labor in the right direction during the temporary session of the National Assembly. It is just the nominal thing for the parties. However, we, workers would keep our struggling until pro-worker's labor law is obtained.